There are so many things I feel I need to say.
I am a 22 year old who has spent the first year of my nursing career in the middle of a pandemic.
Iām getting so fed up of the conspiracy theories and people who have such a lack of respect for myself, my colleagues and all key workers out there. Not wearing PPE/ protesting about the restrictions...
Iām sick of people saying nurses arenāt working hard. That nurses are lying. That nurses are adding to the scare mongering. That the virus isnāt that bad. That the government are just trying to control us. That itās all a big ploy.
Itās not.
Itās scary.
Iām scared. Even now during this second wave.
At the age of 22 I consulted a lawyer and was going to draw up a will except I then realised that at the age of 22 I did not yet have anything substantial to leave my family. That a will would be pointless in the event of my death.
At the beginning of the pandemic having been qualified for less than 6 months I held the hands of multiple people as they passed away. People who were old and who had underlying health conditions. People who were old and didnāt have underlying health conditions. People who were young and were immuno-compromised. People who were young and perfectly fit and healthy. I held the phone for someoneās mom, dad, brother, sister, son, nephew etc as they said their goodbyes over the phone. I held their hands as they passed away.
Yes the virus isnāt as deadly. The mortality is going down when you compare the incidence of cases. HOWEVER wards are again exclusively becoming covid wards. Staff with no intensive care experience are being expected to care for level 2 and 3 patients. Wards are becoming short staffed due to staff going off sick with covid. We are still experiencing covid and the effects of it. I donāt think itās a lot to ask for some respect. For a bit of human decency as we look after people regardless of covid. Yes itās my job. I signed up for it.. Literally when signing my contract. However I have my own family. And I choose to come to work to look after yours.
